Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez {review}

Woven in Moonlight
by Isabel Ibañez
♦publisher: Page Street Books
♦release date: January 7th, 2020
♦hardcover, 384 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: Woven in Moonlight, book 1

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.

She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.

{Review}

Step into Ximena's world of two warring lands, two peoples willing to fight for their convictions, where her role as the Condesa's decoy will challenger her to her limits. I so enjoyed this story. So action-packed and full of emotion, danger, magic, romance, mystery, and most memorably, culture and food. Ooooh, the descriptions of the food,(seriously Page Street---we need a Woven in Moonlight cookbook immediately) the bright colors and textures of the clothing, the sights and sounds of a bustling and lively city. The story itself was really beautifully written, but I found myself absolutely enchanted with the south american-inspired worldbuilding.

Ximena is immediately a character to root for. While there is much love and loyalty to the true Condesa that she serves to protect, she is clearly a frustrated girl feeling stuck in the life of pretending to be someone else.  When she is wisked far from her familiar life, her loneliness and lost sense of self is palpable.  Still, she fights, putting up a determined and fierce front.  The story takes off in a shot, settles into a bit of a lull, and then picks up again as things get more and more complicated for Ximena. Her feisty will, strong beliefs, and grounding in the Illustrian history are all tested as she discovers the truth behind the people she has always known as the enemy. The magic, while intriguing and original, was lacking a little in explanation. I felt a need to know more about why this magic existed, why it was forbidden, and why different people had different abilities, and why her magic suddenly changed the way it did.  The change was fun and added an quirky twist to parts of the story, but I still felt the need to know more details.

There's no shortage of thrilling fight scenes,  the mystery and romantic tension between the masked vigilante is swoon-worthy without taking over the story, and there's a hearty lesson intertwined in the adventure that there is always more than one side to any struggle. The ending leaves you with a perfect blend of heartbreak and triumph.  A great debut, and I'll definitely be looking forward to more from this author!

{About The Author}

Isabel Ibañez was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and is the proud daughter of two Bolivian immigrants. A true word nerd, she received her degree in creative writing and has been a Pitch Wars mentor for three years. Isabel is an avid movie goer and loves hosting family and friends around the dinner table. She currently lives in Winter Park, Florida, with her husband, their adorable dog, and a serious collection of books. 

WEBSITE   •   TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

source: book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanne Ruth Meyer {review}

Beyond the Shadowed Earth
by Joanna Ruth Meyer
♦publisher: Page Street Kids
♦release date: January 14, 2020
♦hardcover, 400 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone

It has always been Eda’s dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she’s convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.

Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he’s trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.

Set in the same universe as Joanna’s debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, Beyond the Shadowed Earth combines her incredible world building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead. 

{REVIEW}

As the second book that I've read by this author, Beyond a Shadowed Earth didn't fail to astound me with the beauty of Joanne Ruth Meyer's writing. There's something about her method of spinning tales that make them feel like they are ancient and epic and all consuming.  

While I admittedly took a while to really sink into this one, it was more because I personally tend to need someone to root for and for the first long while, there was really not one likeable character---but you start to see that that is the whole point of the story. To see if Eda can improve upon and overcome her horridness, her selfishness, her despicable disregard for life if it stands in the way of what she wants. There's just no rooting for a character who willingly offers up the life of her best friend to be handed power until that comes back at her in a harsh lesson. BUT, the story itself and it's strange and at times surprising turns of events still entrapped me, I was constantly pushed on to find out where Eda's actions would take her, in some cases, just to see if Eda's character would grow---and thankfully she did. 

At it's heart this story turned out to be about finding worth and meaning in life, in love, in belief, and that what makes that up isn't always the most obvious choice. Though the push-through to the payoff may not be everyone cup of tea, I really enjoyed the experience of Eda's journey and hope that other readers will, too. I'll reach for this author's epic stories again and again!

{About The Author}

Joanna Ruth Meyer hails from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her dear family, a rascally feline, and an enormous grand piano. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to convince her students that Bach is actually awesome, or plotting her escape from the desert. She loves good music, thick books, looseleaf tea, rainstorms, and staring out of windows. One day, she aspires to own an old Victorian house with creaky wooden floors and a tower (for writing in, of course!).

WEBSITE   •   TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

source: book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer {review}

Echo North
by Joanna Ruth Meyer
♦publisher: Page Street Kids
♦release date: January 15th, 2019
♦hardcover, 389 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart after her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an offer: for her to come and live with him for a year. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, Echo discovers centuries-old secrets, a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up—otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

{My Thoughts}

Beautiful.  Absolutely gorgeous writing and storytelling. From the moment I started this, I was lured in and completely enchanted until the final page. Echo North definitely exuded the feel of fairy tales of old. Grimm, Anderson,...you'll expect to find this one tucked in among these collections. The language, the atmosphere, the determination of the heroine. It all melds together to unfold this special story of redemption and love. 

In this retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Echo Alkaev finds herself fleeing her home and tricked into living with the mysterious wolf who seems to have followed her through life since he scarred her as a child. What she finds is an enchanted house containing dangerous rooms that must be bound by a magical thread. Toward the middle the story ambles a bit, but I never felt bored. Echo's bond with the wolf is in constant flux as she works to both uncover his secrets and save him from his own imprisonment in the house. each door reveals a new secret, and her world opens up even wider with the discovery of the mysterious library of mirrors. The second part takes on a wildly unexpected turn---the whole feel and direction of the story shoots off in an expected direction. It was a little jarring but surprising and exciting as well! 

Such a great story and I definitely plan on reaching for more from this author in the future, and possible checking out her debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, as well! 

{About The Author}

Joanna Ruth Meyer hails from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her dear family, a rascally feline, and an enormous grand piano. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to convince her students that Bach is actually awesome, or plotting her escape from the desert. She loves good music, thick books, looseleaf tea, rainstorms, and staring out of windows. One day, she aspires to own an old Victorian house with creaky wooden floors and a tower (for writing in, of course!).

WEBSITE   •   TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

source: book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Uncharted by Erin Cashman {review}

Uncharted
by Erin Cashman
♦publisher: Page Street Kids
♦release date: September 4th, 2018
♦hardcover, 416 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦source: received from publisher for review consideration

Seventeen-year-old Annabeth prefers the fantasy of her books and paintings to reality—because in reality, her mom is dead, and it was all her fault. When she accompanies her father to the funeral of some family friends who drowned, she’s surprised to find her grief reflected in the face of Griffin Bradford, the son of the couple who died. Griffin is nothing like the carefree boy she once knew. Now he’s irritable, removed, and he’s under police investigation for his parents’ deaths.

One night following the memorial service, Annabeth’s dad goes missing in the woods, and she suspects Griffin knows more about the disappearance than he’s letting on. He refuses to answer her questions, particularly those related to the mysterious “expedition” his parents took to Ireland, where they went missing for seven months.

Annabeth fears her father isn’t lost, but rather a victim of something sinister. She launches her own investigation, tracing clues that whisper of myth and legend and death, until she stumbles upon a secret. One that some would die to protect, others would kill to expose—and which twists Annabeth’s fantasy and reality together in deadly new ways. 

{Becky's Thoughts}

There was so much that drew me to Uncharted, even beyond cracking open this gorgeous cover. If you are a lover of contemporary fantasy, Irish legends, stories of far-off travel, family secrets, or mysterious secret societies, Uncharted is not one to be missed.

Annabeth is in a dark place in life, hiding away from past guilt, having lost her mother in an accident she blames herself for. Even so, when she knows her dad needs her support after the death of two close family friends, she's sure to be there for him, no matter how far she wants to run. She finds herself back among the Magellans, a group of her parent's friends who once traveled the globe together, chasing after any worldly mysteries they could find. And bring her back to butt heads with an old childhood friend/rival, Griffin.

Which brings us to the love story,... lately I just seem to be picking up all books that know just what kind of love story I enjoy! Yay for romance with a ton of history behind it! I love it when my characters already have a long shared history that really ties them together. In Annabeth and Griffin's case, they start at still having that little bit of childhood angstiness (is that a word? LOL) between them, she's a little short tempered with the boy who once put spiders in her bed, etc. But as the tragedies and mysteries and secrets pile up around them, they fall into each other for support and suddenly they find themselves needing each other for even more.

This story really had some great surprises, lots of twist and turns, unexpected revelations.  I loved the mix of science and mystery. Admittedly there was a little bit of lull for me somewhere in the middle, where the action and propulsion of the plot seems at a bit of a standstill, but it kick-started again after not too long as secrets start to spill out and Annabeth really starts to realize what she's in the midst of.

I absolutely can't wait for this story to continue--I must know more, more, more,...about these characters and the mystery and legend that unraveled (trying so hard not to give anything away here!). This was dark and dangerous, and a wildly entertaining story!

{ABOUT THE AUTHOR}

{Photo Credit: Peter Su}

Erin Cashman is an award-winning writer of Young Adult fantasy. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, three children, and their very energetic dog. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading (of course!), walking her dog, hiking, and watching TV with her family (all diehard fans of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek), and running the First Five Pages Workshop. She also loves to bake and is known for making her family and friends ugly but yummy birthday cakes.

WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. A spin-off of the meme called "Can't Wait Wednesday" is now hosted at Wishful Endings. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Echo North

by Joann Ruth Meyer

hitting shelves January 15th, 2019  

from Page Street Kids

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart after her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an offer: for her to come and live with him for a year. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, Echo discovers centuries-old secrets, a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up—otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

My thoughts:  This looks like a gorgeous fairy tale retelling of  East of the Sun, West of the Moon! I'm always there for a good retelling, especially when it seems to stay in the style of old tales while still bringing it's own spin. Plus, how can I resist with the promise of sinister talking wolves, an enchanted library, and a fantastical mystery to solve!

 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. A spin-off of the meme called "Can't Wait Wednesday" is now hosted at Wishful Endings. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

An Affair of Poisons

by Addie Thorley

hitting shelves February 26th, 2019  

from Page Street Publishing

After unwittingly helping her mother poison King Louis XIV, seventeen-year-old alchemist Mirabelle Monvoisin is forced to see her mother’s Shadow Society in a horrifying new light: they’re not heroes of the people, as they’ve always claimed to be, but murderers. Herself included. Mira tries to ease her guilt by brewing helpful curatives, but her hunger tonics and headache remedies cannot right past wrongs or save the dissenters her mother vows to purge.

Royal bastard Josse de Bourbon is more kitchen boy than fils de France. But when the Shadow Society assassinates the Sun King and half the royal court, he must become the prince he was never meant to be in order to save his injured sisters and the petulant Dauphin. Forced to hide in the derelict sewers beneath the city, any hope of reclaiming Paris seems impossible—until Josse’s path collides with Mirabelle’s, and he finds a surprising ally in his sworn enemy.

She's a deadly poisoner. He's a bastard prince. Together, they form a tenuous pact to unite the commoners and former nobility against the Shadow Society. But can a rebellion built on mistrust ever hope to succeed?

My thoughts:  Ok, people. You give me a story of 18th century France and tell me there will be alchemy and murder, secret societies and royal intrigue, mother/daughter rivalry and rebellion---you've pretty much got me swooning already.  Gimme, sil vous plait. ;) 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

UNCHARTED: Interview with author Erin Cashman & Giveaway!

Today I'm thrilled to be featuring a fabulous new release that's been on my most anticipated 2018 reads list for quite some time!  UNCHARTED hits shelves next week and author Erin Cashman is stopping by to tell us a little more about herself and her book! And thanks to the lovely folks at Page Street Publishing, I'm giving away a beautiful hardcover copy of Uncharted to one lucky reader! 

Here we go! 

Welcome, Erin!!

•Describe Uncharted in 5 words: 

Legends, Mystery, Secrets, Romance, Danger, Magic (I know I cheated and used six!)

•Who was your favorite character to write---and who gave you the most trouble?

I loved writing Holly. She’s a straight shooter, she doesn’t care what other people think of her, and she’s willing to take risks to go after what she wants – and to help a friend. She’s loyal, funny, and unique.

Griffin gave me a LOT of trouble! I can’t say too much because of spoilers, but at times he can be a real jerk. He has his reasons—but it was still hard to write those scenes because I totally love him!

• Where is your favorite writing spot? Coffee shop?  Kitchen table? In the park surrounded by people?

 My sofa or kitchen island if no one is around! I need it to be very quiet, I can’t have music or background noise, because then I have a hard time having conversations in my head, or finding the right words to say what I’m trying to say, without relying on clichés. If my husband and kids are home, I hide in my bedroom with my laptop!

• Is there anyone special, a teacher or mentor, who inspired you on your path to becoming a writer? 

My parents were my biggest influences, in very different ways! I have my mother to thank for my (sometimes wild) imagination. She was from Ireland, and only had a sixth grade education. When she wasn’t helping with her younger brothers and sisters, she loved to spend her time on Galway Bay, where she was fed a steady diet of myth and legend. Even as an adult, she believed in ghosts, premonitions, kelpies, fairies, changelings, angels, and Sea Maidens. My father was a big reader—I was allowed to buy as many books as I wanted at the bookstore! Between them, they inspired my love of stories—hearing them, reading them, and writing them.

•Was there any music that fueled writing Uncharted?

 Not so much as music, but the sounds of nature. If I found myself stuck, I’d take a walk in the woods, or sit by the water, and write what I heard, smelled, and saw. It didn’t always work—but at least then I’d have the backdrop for another scene when I needed it!

•Favorite writing snack?  

Strong Irish tea and chocolate!

•What kind of books did you read as a teen? 

I was a pretty varied reader. I fell in love with Shakespeare in high school English, and went on to read most of his plays and many of his sonnets. I also fell in love with Lord of the Rings in 9^th grade, faked sick so I could miss school and read all three books over the course of a few days, and then read many, many, sci-fi and fantasy books. I also loved the classics,Wuthering Heights being one of my favorite books, and Winnie the Pooh—there is always great advice to be found in Winnie the Pooh books!

•What the best advice you can give to aspiring authors? 

Mainly, to just keep at it and don’t give up! My writing improved dramatically when I did three things. First, I try to write most days. Even if it’s just a half an hour. It helps keep the story fresh in my mind, and in turn I think about the characters more—when I’m driving, or walking my dog, and I find I do far more world-building that way, without even consciously doing it. Second, read, read, read. Then pick a book you loved, and read it again, and pay attention to things like cadence, character arc, setting, etc. Third, and most importantly, find a good critique partner and be open to criticism, and in turn be a good critique partner. I’d be lost without my CP, the wonderful author Diana Renn! There are also so many wonderful, and free, opportunities for writers now—from pitch contests, to workshops. I am the coordinator and a permanent mentor of the 1^st 5 Pages Writing Workshop, which is a great opportunity for writers to have their pages critiqued by published authors, other participants, and a literary agent. (You can read more about it, here!)

Thank you so much for having me on your wonderful blog, Becky!!!

{Photo Credit: Peter Su}

Erin Cashman is an award-winning writer of Young Adult fantasy. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, three children, and their very energetic dog. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading (of course!), walking her dog, hiking, and watching TV with her family (all diehard fans of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek), and running the First Five Pages Workshop. She also loves to bake and is known for making her family and friends ugly but yummy birthday cakes.

WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

{About UNCHARTED}

Seventeen-year-old Annabeth prefers the fantasy of her books and paintings to reality—because in reality, her mom is dead, and it was all her fault. When she accompanies her father to the funeral of some family friends who drowned, she’s surprised to find her grief reflected in the face of Griffin Bradford, the son of the couple who died. Griffin is nothing like the carefree boy she once knew. Now he’s irritable, removed, and he’s under police investigation for his parents’ deaths.

One night following the memorial service, Annabeth’s dad goes missing in the woods, and she suspects Griffin knows more about the disappearance than he’s letting on. He refuses to answer her questions, particularly those related to the mysterious “expedition” his parents took to Ireland, where they went missing for seven months.

Annabeth fears her father isn’t lost, but rather a victim of something sinister. She launches her own investigation, tracing clues that whisper of myth and legend and death, until she stumbles upon a secret. One that some would die to protect, others would kill to expose—and which twists Annabeth’s fantasy and reality together in deadly new ways.

*        *        *        *        *

And on to the giveaway!!

Enter below to win a hardcover copy of 

UNCHARTED! 

US addresses only please
Must be 13 or older to enter
Deadline: Sept 7th, 2018 11:59 PST

a Rafflecopter giveaway For another chance to win a copy, head over to my Instagram where I'll be giving away an ARC of Uncharted also!!

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Uncharted

by Erin Cashman

hitting shelves September 4th, 2018  

from Page Street Publishing 

Seventeen-year-old Annabeth prefers the fantasy of her books and paintings to reality—because in reality, her mom is dead, and it was all her fault. When she accompanies her father to the funeral of some family friends who drowned, she’s surprised to find her grief reflected in the face of Griffin Bradford, the son of the couple who died. Griffin is nothing like the carefree boy she once knew. Now he’s irritable, removed, and he’s under police investigation for his parents’ deaths.

One night following the memorial service, Annabeth’s dad goes missing in the woods, and she suspects Griffin knows more about the disappearance than he’s letting on. He refuses to answer her questions, particularly those related to the mysterious “expedition” his parents took to Ireland, where they went missing for seven months.

Annabeth fears her father isn’t lost, but rather a victim of something sinister. She launches her own investigation, tracing clues that whisper of myth and legend and death, until she stumbles upon a secret. One that some would die to protect, others would kill to expose—and which twists Annabeth’s fantasy and reality together in deadly new ways.

My thoughts: Every paragraph of this description draws me in further and further. Family secrets, myth and legend, fantasy and reality blurring, and Irish mysteries. Yes, yes, and yes please!! 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?